


Little Writer Boy

by PuppyGuppy



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, I actually like Kairi I swear, M/M, Melancholy Pining, Missed Connections, Modern Day Au I guess?, Un-beta'd we die like men, Unrequited Love, Waxing Poetic!Riku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 20:29:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19483426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuppyGuppy/pseuds/PuppyGuppy
Summary: Being polite, Riku gave his own name in return, and the way the "k" got caught sharply in Sora's throat struck him as something of a pivotal moment. Something profound. Likedestiny.And he felt like he had seen his one way ticketoutmanifested in unruly chestnut hair and sunburn freckles and eyes he assumed had been contacts and one single dimple.





	Little Writer Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Alt. Title: _Peach Scone_

Riku sighed, wistful and heavy, eyes tracking along the scenery of the cafe, trailing after the form of his best friend, who was on his way to order their drinks. It was cozy, and familiar, one of their usual spots- a quaint little place that somehow managed to combine both wizards and space, of all things. The drinks were all aptly named after potions and spells, while star charts and planets lined the walls. Everything in between was just an eclectic middle ground, including the staff. The uniform seemed to be various types of robes- while the lower employees wore black cloaks, the owners adorned more classic, magician robes. Complete with pointy hats and embroidered stars. One even insisted on being called "Merlin". The guy seemed a tad nuts, so no one ever really argued, that- and his partner, Yen Sid, would give anyone who dared an infamous thousand-mile stare. As odd as the place was, the food and drinks were amazing, and it was always fairly quiet.

  
Something about the place had instantly clicked with them.

  
Sometimes, Riku _swore_ he could feel old magic in the place, but then again, that could just be Riku's overactive imagination and constant desire for a life a lot less dull. The innate jitter in his bones that whispered he was destined for a greatness beyond belief. Or at least anything better than _this_.

  
But, those feelings were easily ignored when in the presence of _Sora_. Because Sora was everything he couldn't put a name to craving. And maybe it was Sora that was magic, and not just this place, because Riku felt the same no matter where he was when they were together. Riku didn't feel the need to _escape_ so much since meeting Sora. Because Sora found places to hide right where they were, pockets of adventure between crossing signs and down dirty alleyways. Sora, who would take any crazy idea Riku already had, and build on it, until they were both starry-eyed and full of enough adrenaline to do something _stupid_. But then Sora would just smile _that_ smile, grab his hand, and bring him right back down to Earth.

  
Despite being grown-ass adults, Riku couldn't help but indulge in bouts of make-believe with Sora. They'd already been to so many worlds together, without spending a single dime. It was addictive, and he couldn't remember how he'd lived without it sometimes. _Without_ Sora. He could remember being a lot angrier, and absolutely exhausted; trying to save just enough money to eventually get out of this place via a shitty car he'd named "The Raft".

  
But then he'd bumped into Sora. Or, Sora had bumped into him. Literally. _Physically._ And Riku had cursed, rubbed the new ache out of his chest, and prepared to curse some _more_ at whoever had hit him- but then he looked into a pair of eyes too large and too blue, and it was like he hadn't been _breathing_ until then. And then the boy had apologized profusely and repeatedly, dusted himself and then _Riku_ off, and then had sheepishly dropped his name.

  
"Sora." The name had felt good on his tongue. It was a name that begged to be said in a particular way, with just the right amount of emphasis at the end. A name that formed a natural smirk.

  
Being polite, Riku gave his own name in return, and the way the "k" got caught sharply in Sora's throat struck him as something of a pivotal moment. Something profound. Like _destiny_. And he felt like he had seen his one way ticket _out_ manifested in unruly chestnut hair and sunburn freckles and eyes he assumed had been contacts and one single dimple.

  
Riku had never been great at making friends. He'd never really wanted any. But, starting a friendship with Sora had been unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. There were no awkward silences, no sudden red flags, no one-sided conversation. There was no overstepping and guilty sideways glances. Nothing was off limits. And though they seemed to have nothing in common, besides not having anything in common, it meant they fell right into being complimentary rivals. Frenemies, so to speak. There was just Sora. Sora, who ebbed with his flow. Sora, who always listened, then contributed, even if in roundabout ways. Sora, who never shied away from a challenge, even when Riku _was_ the challenge. Sora, with his easy sunshine and warm waters, soothing Riku in ways he never thought possible.  
  


Riku always thought he'd been okay alone; he'd prepared himself for a long life, eventually fulfilled, even if by himself. He would have traveled, filled himself with experiences and lessons and memories, bettered himself as a person, maybe. But then Sora happened; and now there were roots in his veins and flowers in his heart and a lazy river in his gut and a breeze in his head and stars in his eyes. His body had become a whole new world, cultivated by Sora, and now Riku _feared_ being alone. For without Sora, he would surely shrivel up and die.

  
But, just as much as the thought of being alone scared him, so did the thoughts of what Sora had done to him. In every way possible, Sora had made Riku _his_. And yet. He was on his way back to their table, drinks in hand, ready to emotionally unload upon Riku the newest troubles he was having with his _girlfriend_. Because that's why they were here to begin with.

  
Some of the flowers in his heart had thorns.

  
"Uhg, so, Kairi-"

  
If Riku were a better person, he would have been listening more intently. But, he really didn't care to hear about what Sora's girlfriend, _Kairi_ , had done this time. It was generally almost always the same. And he found himself preoccupied with the way Sora talked with his hands, and how those big, blue eyes (not contacts) rolled this way and that. And then, how his lips curled around the mug he was drinking from. Because Riku _was_ his. And the thorns in his heart always prickled when they met like this, to discuss Kairi's fuck-ups; one, because Sora was his best friend and deserved _better_ , and two, because Riku knew _he_ was better. Could be better. _Would_ be better. For Sora.

  
Riku liked to think that, despite his own hang-ups, Sora had nothing of him to complain about. But he really had no idea what he might be saying to Kairi. He knew he had his own darkness still, in the form of bitter resentment and skewed self-esteem, but Sora had never seemed to mind. Just gave him a gentle, understanding smile and a squeeze of a hand. Or, sometimes, he'd pry the light out of him with words far wiser than his age, that seemed to not quite fit in his goofy mouth, until Riku was reduced to laughter and tears. He didn't get any inclination that he made Sora feel the way he was feeling right _now._

  
Which, judging on the body language, flushed cheeks, and sharp tone, his best friend was feeling very, _very_ passive aggressive and annoyed. By his girlfriend. The woman he supposedly loved, who supposedly loved him back. Riku had never been in love (well, aside from with Sora), but he reckoned it shouldn't be like _that_. He never felt that way towards Sora, at least. He did, however, feel it towards Kairi, twofold.

  
But it didn't matter. Sora had chosen Kairi, and somehow, it was making him happy, or else he wouldn't be trying to make things work so damn hard. At least, that's what Riku could gather. Because it wasn't even that Sora wasn't gay, he was about as bisexual as a human being could _be_. Riku could handle it, if Sora didn't want him because he was _straight_. But, no, Sora didn't want him, because he wanted Kairi, and even though he just couldn't see it, Kairi was better than him. Even though all he ever seemed to hear about her was how... Not great she could be.

  
"What do you think, 'ku?"

  
It took all of his composure not to jump, having been startled out of his thoughts and his staring contest with Sora's mouth.

  
What did _he_ think?

  
He thought about how he loved spending every minute of every day with Sora. He thought Sora was _perfect_. He thought, somehow, Sora was like a balanced breakfast. Just the right amount of sweet and savory and _greasy_. Almost too hot to eat but too satisfying to care. He was the dumbest genius he knew, the laziest athlete, the most beautiful boy- old enough to be a man but still holding so much youth that the title of "man" seemed a bit far-fetched. Much like this cafe, he was haphazard and mismatched and busy but not too loud, his soul constantly slipping through the cracks and windows in his body because of how _big_ it was. And it just _worked_ for Riku. And Riku compared himself to coffee; strong, bitter, a much-needed boost and reality check. People either loved or _hated_ coffee, but it could also be modified into something sweeter, creamier, _lighter_. He liked to think people liked him better with a shot of Sora.

  
He thought they went together like the sun and the moon.

  
To put it more plainly, he thought Kairi was like _stale bread_. Still usable, but bland. It could go with just about anything, a filler until payday, but didn't really add any value. She wasn't adding any value to Sora's life.

  
He thought his tea was getting cold.

  
"I think she'll come around. Just bat those pretty baby-blues of yours. You know that always does the trick." He... Probably could have chosen more appropriate words, but then Sora was blushing and huffing out hot air, and he figured he'd let that stunt slide.

  
Riku finally peeled his eyes away from Sora, and onto his drink. Upon taking a sip, he discovered it was still lukewarm, which meant he hadn't been daydreaming as long as he thought. Which was good. But, Soul Eater, his beverage of choice, was good cold, too. Which is exactly why he always had Sora get it for him during these outings, because by the time he had enough sense in him to drink it, nine times out of ten, it was room temperature.

  
He only put his drink back once he'd downed half of it, but he suddenly wanted to drown in the dark, tepid liquid upon meeting the gaze of his best friend again. Sora was staring at him, as if searching, face wide and open. For as great a writer as Riku was, sometimes Sora was impossible to read. And he worried, unlike himself, Sora would be able to clearly see the words written in the spilled, red ink of his heart across his face. Words like _yours_ and _need_ and _love_. The words burning hot on his tongue, sharp in contrast to his beverage. He held that gaze for too long, long enough for the silence to turn into a question, though not awkward. But, before Sora could ask, Riku finally averted his eyes and coughed, the heat of the unspoken traveling down his throat. He was going to get heartburn from this.

Damn it.

"I started working on a new story." He quickly delved into the loose plot of his newest adventure, messily explaining the characters: two boys, _best friends_ , but one destined for darkness and the other for light. They are both launched into a war, and both wield weapons kind of shaped like keys. But what they don't know, is that these blades are two halves of a whole. And that, together, they eventually save the universe. He rambled a bit, spaced out in other bits, improvising some on the spot to further elaborate on later. Through it all he ignored the fire in his gut, ignited by the story he'd created that hit just a little to close to home. Through it all, he tried to ignore the way Sora's eyes widened, _lit up_ , chin tucked in one hand, _enraptured_. He tried not to wonder if Kairi ever held his attention like that.

  
"Riku, that sounds amazing! But, _what if_ -" And then it was Riku's turn to stare, mesmerized and _in love_ , as Sora put in his two sense, and amplified the world he'd created. He babbled on about various worlds, about creepy but charming creatures, about ancient villains. He took Riku's idea, threw in some special ingredients, then hit _blend_ until he couldn't tell whose idea was whose, but that it just _had_ to be written. He watched every enthusiastic twitch of tan hands, choked on every audible gasp, and by the end of it, he was panting just as much as Sora was. At some point, their knees had started grazing. At some point, their faces had gotten closer, _too close_ , both inclining into the other's space in distracted excitement.

  
"Gods, I love-"

  
A shrill, twinkling sound severed right through Riku's thoughts, and thankfully, his words. That had been too close, just like their faces, and he hadn't meant to say it _out loud._ Moment, appreciatively but achingly shattered, Sora scrambled to locate his phone in the many pockets he always _insisted_ on wearing. Riku used to tease him about it, but more times than not, those pockets and their contents had come in handy, so he _kind of_ got it. But now, they just seemed to serve as a nuisance to Sora as he cursed and fumbled about, until the prized, singing object appeared in his hand. Riku watched something flicker across his face, eyes that had held so much wonder a second ago darkening, troubling.

But then he was holding it up to his ear, ringing halted, and he understood.

  
"Hi, Kairi.."

  
Riku took the lapse in conversation to skull the rest of his drink, finally cooling the forest fire that had, apparently, clouded his mind enough to let a confession slip out almost like smoke. Now all that was left was bitter ash, but he knew it wouldn't last. Soon enough, fresh flowers would start to grow, and the natural cycle of _Riku_ would start again. Constantly living and dying for Sora.

  
"Oh, hold on Kai- Riku, what was that you were saying before?" Sora was holding a hand over the speaker of the phone, but it probably didn't do much. The look on his face was pleading, as if looking for any reason to not actually be on the phone right now. Riku could hear a faint, unintelligible female voice still coming from beneath his hand. Kairi's voice. And then he remembered what he'd almost said. What Sora was asking him to finish. He gulped, quickly surveying his surroundings for any kind of out, but the smog in his brain was still clearing, and he only had a few minutes left before Sora probably did something to make petals fall out of his mouth _again_.

  
"I was just saying how much I love... scones?"

  
_Damn it._

  
Sora blinked at him, only once, but _slowly_. Riku blanched.

  
But then Sora shrugged, removed the hand covering the phone speaker, and gave his attention back to his girlfriend. He could be so, ridiculously oblivious at times, and innocently gullible, but it's what made him _Sora_ , and gave Riku a sigh of relief. It meant he could watch, from a _friendly_ perspective, as his best friend rummaged through his pockets once more, humming and ah-ing into the phone as he did. He hoped he still looked _friendly_ when he caught a glimpse of pink, Sora's tongue, prodding from between soft lips in concentration. That being said, he knew he must have looked spooked when Sora reached a closed fist over the table, shouldering the phone so he could grab one of his hands with his now free one. Riku gave it over willingly, palm up, and into it, Sora deposited some spare change. He quirked a brow.

  
" _Scone_." Sora mouthed at him, followed by a wink and a smile and his withdrawing hands. The coins in his hand were _warm_. His fingers tingled, palm itchy, and just like that, something fresh rooted in his chest.

  
"Yes, _yes_ , I'm on my way. I am standing now. _Geesh._ " Riku hadn't realized he had been stating at his hand still, until Sora was up and already making his retreat. He sounded _pained_. Rushed. But, still, even as he muttered into the phone and made his way to the exit, he managed to throw a wave and a grin back Riku's way. Another mouthed " _Thank you_ ", and then he was out the door, and running.

  
Which left Riku alone at the table, money still warm in his hand, unsure what to do. He could, indeed, use the money to go get himself a scone. He did enjoy the tasty treats, on occasion. But who didn't? To be honest, he wasn't really hungry. It was that odd time of day too soon after lunch but not late enough for dinner, and a snack might just ruin that. But then, Sora might find out he didn't use the money for a scone, and he didn't want to deal with explaining _why_ , not after confessing his apparent love for them. He could try to give the money back, but already knew he wouldn't take it. Maybe, if he was lucky, Sora would just forget the whole thing, too wrapped up in resolving things with Kairi. Again.

  
It must be amazing, he thought, finding someone worth so much heartache and headache. It must be something vastly greater than what he felt for Sora, since everything with Sora just came so painless and easy. At least, that is what he told himself. Love was supposed to be _hard_ , but worth it. And that's what Kairi had to be. Hard, but worth it. Sometimes he wondered what he'd say if he met her. Maybe run into her on the street. Part of him likes to imagine he'd sneer at her, puff out his chest, look down at her like the dirt she made Sora feel like more often than not. Make her squirm under his judgment. Because, above all else, he was Sora's _best friend_. Yet, he knew he couldn't do that because of the same fact; he was Sora's best friend. So he'd probably try to smile, listen to her as best he could. But he wouldn't really listen, he wouldn't really care, but he'd say how amazing it was that they had each other, and that they should keep at it because love like that only happens once in a lifetime.

  
And then Kairi would smile, maybe bashfully, unable to see right through a man she just met. And she'd ask about Sora, and he'd be as honest as he could without mucking up. He'd talk about how Sora loved him when no one else had bothered, and loved him in a way that no one else probably _could._ But then he might slip. Because he _always_ did. And he might call Sora a peach, because that's what he is. Soft and small and sweet (and probably delicious), and he _just might_ relish in the look on her face before he'd awkwardly interject with his new, profound love of _scones._ And his obscene fascination with how they're made (probably by the same deities that crafted Sora). But, he'd end it with a simple request.

  
Of not hurting him.

  
Because even only as Sora's best friend, it was just as heavy.

  
And he hoped he'd see the shock in her eyes, at the audacity of such an idea. Because then, _maybe_ , he could handle the thought of being alone again. He could save the world with Yozora in his stories, while Sora drifted away to love island with a woman who at least didn't _want_ to hurt him. Because who was he, really, to stand knee-deep in their ocean and stop them?

  
However, if Kairi's eyes held anything _else_ -

  
Like deja vu, Riku's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sound. This time it was softer, slower, a melancholy tune. It was his own phone ringing. He had much fewer pockets to search, so he found the object quickly, and paused at the caller ID. It was a photo of a girl, with eyes _almost_ as blue as Sora's, and hair the color of starlight. It's a girl he thought maybe he could love, if he tried hard enough. He knows _she_ tried. And love was meant to take work. So it might take a few years, but she seemed like the kind of girl that could also get lost in his stories. He remembered how she always sketched what he'd come up with. At the time, her interpretations had bothered him, never quite right. But maybe he'd just never appreciated them as _hers_. As a complementary half. An additive, kind of like artificial sweetener. Not as great, nor as addictive, but better for him, in _theory_.

  
He could try.

  
It would mean saving money again. Working more, sleeping less. Texting more, talking less. Scrounging up what he could to maybe get "The Raft" out there. He'd finally start travelling. The trip wasn't _too_ long.

  
If anything, he should answer the phone.

  
She'd love that.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I had a really rough week last week. I tried working on a bunch of my WIPS over my weekend, but I was so emotionally/physically distraught that I couldn't focus. But then, late at night/early in the morning, _this_ happened. And I kinda just kept writing until I couldn't anymore. So, yea. This was really cathartic to write and it got me back into my groove, so I promise better stuff comes after this! Sometimes things just need to be _sad_.
> 
> Nevertheless, I hope y'all enjoy, still.
> 
> Also- Riku is a writer in this. And writes the story of Kingdom Hearts basically, as an outlet for everything he feels. Sora and Kairi were already together when he met Sora. And if you couldn't figure it out, Namine is the girl at the end. If you know the song this is based off, and can relate to it, my condolences (but, _same_ ).


End file.
